Austin Austin A30 / A35 History

Unveiled at the 1951 Earls Court Motor Show as the 'New Austin Seven', the A30 was a landmark for the company: it was Austin's first car with fully stressed, chassis-less monocoque construction, making it lighter and stiffer than rivals, and it debuted the 803cc BMC A-Series engine that would power Austins (and the Mini) for decades. It went on sale in 1952 priced to undercut the Morris Minor.

The A35 replaced it in 1956 with a larger 948cc A-Series engine, more power and a larger rear window; saloon production ran to 1959, though the A35 van soldiered on into the late 1960s. About 223,264 A30s were built, and the A35 became a giant-killing club racer that is still campaigned today.